History of the estate and monastery

1252

Founding of Cistercian monastery Studnice Blahoslavené Panny Marie and settlement Žďár, initiated by the father of St. Zdislava, Přibyslav of Křižanov, as well as his sons-in-law, Boček of Zbraslav and Smilof Lichtenburg, who brought his plan to reality.

1300

Hard beginnings – the monastic community lived in log houses while building a stone church, wrote a monk named Jindřich Řezbář in Latin-versed chronicle CRONICA DOMUS SARENSIS.

1458

The monastery comes into the possession of King Jiří (George) of Kunštát and Poděbrady, the descendant of the monastery’s founder. During the years of his reign (1458 – 1471), he tried to restore the monastery that had been plundered and burnt down during the Hussite wars.

1614

The monastery becomes private property of the Cardinal of Olomouc, František of Ditrichštejn, who had the prelature (the abbot’s living quarters) transformed into a castle.

1638

The Abbot of Velehrad, Jan Greifenfelsof Greifenfels, who is considered the second founder of the monastery, buys out the former monastery from Maxmilián of Ditrichštejn.

1689

The monastery is struck by a major fire; the St. Markéta Church is built as part of the monastery’s renovation.